Signal-repeater



No. 625,559. Patented May 23, I899. T. B. KEELEB.

SIGNAL REPEATEB.

(Application filed Apr. 21, 1898.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THADDEUS B. KEELER, OF RAHWAY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO EDWARD O. JOHNSON, OF ARLINGTON, NEWV JERSEY.

SlGNAL-REPEATER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 625,559, dated May 23, 1899.

Application filed April 21, 1898.

To all whont it may concern:

Be it known that I, THADDEUS B. KEELER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Rahway, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Signal Repeaters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvementin signal-repeaters for indicating to the operator at a signal tower or station the condition of the semaphore-arm or signal located at a distance from the tower or station under his control to regulate the movement of trains.

A practical embodiment of my invention is :5 represented in the accompanying drawings,

in whicl1 Figure 1 represents a face view of the repeater, showing its electrical connection with a pole-changer arranged to be mechanically operated by a semaphore-arm, it being understood that the semaphore-arm and polechanger are located at adistance from the repcater. Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken through the repeater-box, showing the repeater mechanism in rear elevation; and Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through the repeaterbox, showing the repeater mechanism in top plan.

The case of the repeater-box is denoted by A. It is here shown as havinga general rectangular shape, but may be made of any desired shape to form an elfective housing for the mechanism within it. Its front is provided with a glass plate a, through which the movementsof the repeater-arm are observed. WVithin the casing A there is located a post B, which represents the signal-post located commonly at the side of the track at a distance from the signal tower or station, and to this post B there is pivoted a small semaphore-arm O,which represents the semaphorearm pivoted to the distant signal-post. The semaphore-arm G is made of such material or has such material fixed to it as to place it 5 under the control of magnets and is so balanced that when it is entirely free from magnetic influence it will hang in the position represented in dotted lines, as D, about midway between its normal position of danger (represented in full lines in Fig. 1) and its position of safety or clear, (denoted by dotted Serial No. 677,931. (N0 model.)

lines at D.) The arm 0 is polarized by means of either a permanent or an electro magnet in the present instance a permanent magnet E in proximity to the counterbalance end of the arm 0 for the purpose of placing the opposite end of the arm under the control of an electromagnet F. (Shown in dotted lines in Figxl and in full lines in Figs. 2 and \Vires ff within the casingA lead'from the opposite poles of the electromagnet F to binding-posts G G, and wires h h lead from the binding-posts G G to contacts located at the signal-post at a distance from the tower or station where the repeater is located. The wire h leads to two contact-points denoted by I I, and the wire h leads to two contactpoints denoted by i z". The semaphore-arm at the post distant from the station or tower is denoted by C and the post to which it is piv- 7o oted by B. A pole-changer consisting in the present instance of a pair of contact-arms K K is pivoted at 7t 7a to the post B and is connected by a link k of insulating material, which link 10 is connected by a rod 10 with the counterbalance end of the semaphorearm C. The arms K K are in circuit with a battery L. The arrangement is such that when the semaphore-arm O is at normal danger position (shown in full lines) the armsK K will be in contact with the points I 2', completing the circuit in one direction through the electromagnet F, thereby holding the polarized arm 0 of the repeater in the normal dangerposition. (Indicatedin Fig.1.) When, however, the semaphore-arm O is thrown into the position of safety or clear, the arms K K will be mechanically raised into the position to make contact with the points 2' I, the arm K making contact with the pointt' and the arm K making contact with the point I, thereby completing circuit in the opposite direction through the electromagnet F, and consequently repelling the polarized arm 0 from its position shown in Fig. 1 and atttracting it into the position represented at D, Fig. 1. When, however, from any cause the semaphore-arm 0 fails to move its full distance from normal danger to clear or the reverse and occupies an intermediate position, the arms K K will not make contact with either set of contact-points, the circuit will be broken through the electromagnet F, and the repeater-arm C will fall by the effect of its own balance into the neutral position, (shown at D,) therebyindicatin g to the signal operator in his station or tower that the signal at the distance has failed to Work properly.

What I claim is-- 1. In combination asemaphore-arm, apolechanger in position to be operated by the movements of the semaphore-arm, a continuously-polarized repeater-arm, an electromagnet located in position to exert its influence directly upon the polarized repeater-arm for operating said repeater-arm and an electric circuit including the said pole-changer, the electromagnet and asource of electric energy, substantially as set forth.

2. In combination a repeater-arm mounted to tilt, means for imparting to the arm a state of continuous polarization, an electromagnet having its poles located in proximity to the path in which the repeater-arm travels as it swings for directly operating said arm, a semaphore-arm at a distance, a pole-changer controlled by the movements of the semaphorearm and an electric circuit including the said electromagnet, the pole-changer and a source of electric energy, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of two Witnesses, this 30th day of March,

THADDEUS B. KEELER. \Vitnesses:

FREDK. HAYNES,

EDWARD VIESER. 

